OLYMPIA — Due to a dramatic decline in operating funds derived from real-estate transactions, the Washington State Library will be closed to in-person visits on Mondays, effective October 2nd. The State Library will remain open to the public Tuesdays through Fridays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 6880 Capitol Boulevard East in Tumwater.
The reduction in hours is necessary because the State Library is unable to fill vacant staff positions due to a historic revenue shortfall. Under a structure described in RCW 43.07.128, State Library operations are funded through fees on filings of real-estate transactions and other public records.
The downturn in real-estate filings has drastically reduced the amount of money this structure produces. In fiscal year 2022, the State Library operations account received $6.36 million from these sources. For fiscal year 2023, those revenues totaled $3.84 million.
“People deserve stable operations from their government, and this situation is a consequence of becoming too dependent on unpredictable resources,” Secretary of State Steve Hobbs said. “I hope to work with the Legislature to restore the State Library’s full scope of resources by providing a reliable, sustainable, and responsible source of funding.”
Washington’s Office of the Secretary of State oversees a number of areas within state government, including managing state elections, registering corporations and charities, and governing the use of the state flag and state seal. The office also manages the State Archives and the State Library, documents extraordinary stories in Washington’s history through Legacy Washington, oversees the Combined Fund Drive for charitable giving by state employees, and administers the state’s Address Confidentiality Program to help protect survivors of crime.